Democracias representativas en crisis. Democracia participativa y mecanismos de participación ciudadana como opción

Abstract

Citizen participation mechanisms have been discussed, built and used (although in quantity, frequency and with different results) in many democracies. Especially in those crossed by the crisis of representation since the late '80s, following the breakdown of the welfare state and the transition to the State of the Global Era. These semidirect institutes introduce direct channels for citizen participation in the public policy process in order to oxygenate the discredited vertical indirect electoral institutions of representative democracy. Knowing their critical and theoretical context of adoption will allow us a better understanding of the meaning and scope of these tools as responses to such civic disaffection.